From Staff Reports 

The new principal of Asheville High School, Joyce Best, made an announcement warning students that the dress code would be more strictly enforced on the school’s P.A. system in mid-May.

In the address, Best stated that students “wearing spaghetti strap shirts and no bra” would not be tolerated.

Asheville High’s dress code already requires that tank tops have straps at least two inches wide, Best later told local news media, in an attempt to clarify that the spaghetti strap component is the real violation to which she was referring.

“It’s not in our policy that students are required to wear any sort of underwear,” Best told local news media. 

“In fact, I would have no way of knowing (whether students wear bras) and I don’t want to, as long as they’re following the guidelines in our dress code.”

Best said administrators are constantly dealing with repeat dress code offenders, mostly around tiny tops and too-short shorts. 

The announcement was intended to be a “last warning,” according to Best, who noted that one student recently came to school in a bathing suit and a sarong. 

A few photos on Twitter and Facebook surfaced of students wearing bras on their backpacks or outside of their clothes, apparently in protest. School officials said the presence, though, was “minimal” at school on later that week.

Others expressed opinions on the matter in the Readers Respond column of the May 17 edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times as follows:

• “The school is putting serious spin on what they said,” noted Eithne Lamont. “Students have relayed a completely different message. Additionally, the school has threatened students who speak to the press with suspension.”

• “The principal made a call today (May 17) and sent out an email clarifying exactly what she said and she has now changed her policy on bras. She states that ALL students (she didn’t specify boys or girls) cannot go braless,” according to Zoe Howard.

• “This is why uniforms make more sense to have proper dress,” Gary Wayne Mize said.